


To Save a Child

by Laci_Taleweaver



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Canon Divergence, yet another "Raditz Survives" fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-04 23:45:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11001498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laci_Taleweaver/pseuds/Laci_Taleweaver
Summary: What if Goku had given Raditz a different answer?  This fic starts near the end of DBZ episode 2:  Reunions.  I've tried to take as much of the actual canon into account as possible, but this is going to diverge pretty dramatically, pretty quickly.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I swear, I could hold a record for "Most Fics Interrupted To Start *Yet Another* Fic In The Same Fandom."
> 
> But Goku and Raditz getting to know each other as brothers is one of those ideas you just can't help but latch onto.

    A friendly reunion with Bulma, Krillin, and Master Roshi had been ruined by the sudden appearance of a stranger with long hair and a tail.  Goku wasn't sure which statement was harder to believe--that the armored man in front of them was his brother, that he was an alien from another planet, or that he'd been sent to Earth as a toddler in order to kill off humanity.  Poor little Gohan was terrified, squirming in Bulma's arms, trying to get to the father who had always kept him safe.

    "You could have easily wiped out all life on this entire planet by yourself within a year!"  Raditz complained.  "Two at the most!  Especially since this planet has such a nice, big moon."

    "Let me guess," Goku deadpanned.  "I was supposed to blow that up too?"

    "What?  NO!  You idiot! You know as well as I do that the moon is key to unlocking our most powerful form!  Surely at least once in your life you've looked at the full moon?"  Goku's friends took on horrified expressions.  They knew exactly what Raditz was talking about, as all of them had been endangered in the past when a young Goku had transformed into an enormous ape.

    However,  Goku never remembered any of his rampages in ape form, and nobody had dared tell him for fear he might try to exploit his strange, uncontrollable power.  "I don't know what you're talking about!"

    At this point, Raditz noticed something about his younger brother.  Something missing. "What happened to your tail, Kakarot?"

    "I had it permanently removed a long time ago."

    Raditz groaned.  "Do you have any idea what you've done?  Without your tail, you've lost your ability to transform during the full moon!  No wonder you're on such good terms with these weaklings."

    "Listen.  This planet is my home, and these people are my friends, so I'm not harming them!"  Goku was getting visibly angry by this point.  "Leave us alone!"

      "That's right," added Master Roshi.  "Even if you are brothers, that doesn't mean that Goku has to live the same destructive lifestyle you do!"

  
    "Goku even saved this whole planet once!" Krillin added.  "He's not going to destroy it for you, so go away!"

    "Well, it's a pity that's not going to happen then," replied the sinister alien before them.  "Kakarot is far too valuable to us for that.  You see, the planet Vegetasei was destroyed by a huge meteor 20 years ago.  There aren't too many of us Saiyans left, brother.  In fact, as far as we know there are only four of us, including you.  We were the only Saiyans away from home when the planet exploded.  And now, we've found another world to conquer.  Unfortunately, the job's too big for only three of us to handle.  Thankfully, I remembered you, Kakarot.  You're not quite as powerful as we hoped, but with your help, we should be able to handle the job.  You should be excited.  You're about to join the rest of your people!"

    "I'VE HEARD ENOUGH!"  Goku cried.  "I'd die before I'd join a gang of murderers like you!"

    "Interesting."  Raditz had come up with a suitable trump card.  "You know, I've been meaning to ask you, Kakarot.  I couldn't help noticing your son has a tail.  Perhaps he can do the job in your stead?"

    Goku assumed a fighting stance, a look of pure rage in his eyes.  No one was ever going to make his son into a cold-blooded killer like these Saiyans were.

    Raditz stepped closer to the little group.  "You see, brother?" he taunted.  "Fighting is in your blood.  You really should join us."  Goku and Krillin protectively stood between him and Bulma, who was still holding Gohan.  Master Roshi stood by in case his help was also needed.

    A quick knee to the chest, and Goku went down.

    "Daddy!" cried a terrified Gohan.  He'd never seen anyone beat his Daddy in a fight before, much less in one blow.

    "Goku, are you ok?" asked his former training master.  Raditz's powerful ki had him deeply concerned.  If Goku couldn't stop Raditz, then who would?

    Goku couldn't let Gohan go with Raditz!  He was only four years old, and had never learned any martial arts to boot!  His son would likely die.  At least if Goku went with Raditz, there was a chance to talk the other Saiyans into leaving Earth alone.  Then, his family and friends would be safe, to say nothing of billions of people he didn't even know, who would all die if the Earth were destroyed.  That was a lot of dead bodies if he failed.  So he just had to make sure he succeeded.

    “Fine," he gasped as he caught his breath, "I’ll go with you!  Just please don’t hurt Gohan!”

    “Goku, you can’t be serious!" cried Krillin.  "You said yourself this guy’s a monster!”

    “I don’t like this any more than you do," Goku said, frowning, "but I just can’t allow my son to be hurt!  Besides, Raditz won't hurt me if he needs my help.”

    “But Goku—" protested Bulma.

    Goku interrupted her.  “Bulma, take Gohan home and tell Chichi what’s happened.  I’ll be back as soon as I can.  And Krillin, if I don't make it back, look after Gohan for me."

    With a heavy heart, Goku climbed aboard the Flying Nimbus—and fell straight through to the ground.  His purity of heart had apparently been compromised when he struck a deal with his cruel brother.  “Nimbus, go with Bulma and Gohan.  You’re Gohan’s now.”  He sighed and turned to his brother.  “Well, I guess I’ll need a lift back to your spaceship.”

    Raditz raised an eyebrow.  “You mean to tell me you can’t fly?  I’ve been flying since I was a boy!”

    “Flying just isn’t something humans can do!  But…but I guess I’m not really human, am I?”  Goku rubbed the scar on the back of his head sheepishly.  “I’m sure I’ll figure it out in time.  For now, though, I kinda need you to carry me.”

    Raditz huffed and grabbed his idiot brother by the arm, dragging him into the air.  “Kakarot, you’d better be worth all this trouble.”

*        *        *

    By the time they'd arrived at the crater where Raditz had landed his pod, Goku had figured out how to use his ki to float a little, easing the burden on his brother--and on his arm, which was quite sore from being used as his sole support.

  
    "Gee, it looks like it's gonna be a tight fit for the both of us."

  
    "We'll stop at the nearest base to get you a pod of your own."  Raditz eyed his brother's garish orange gi.  "And some proper armor."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku meets the other Saiyans. They are not impressed.

     While Kakarot was willing to change into the armor the other Saiyans wore, he refused to get rid of his gi. Raditz was willing to accept that; at least in proper Saiyan black-and-brown, Kakarot looked more like his brother and less like a stranger. Kakarot held the gi under one arm as they headed to the hangar. His wallet was tucked inside, even though Earth money would do him no good out here. If Raditz had known about the photos of family and friends inside, he might have mocked his brother's weakness.

  
     Raditz filled out the requisition forms for an extra pod, since Kakarot could only read the strange language of Earth, not Saiyan glyphs or Galactic Standard. "One of these days we're going to have to teach you how to read."

     Neither of them expected the surprise in the hangar, waiting for them beside two unoccupied pods.

 

 

     Raditz's eyes lit up when he saw the other two Saiyans were already here, waiting for them. Goku eyed the two warily. One was tall, bald, and muscular; the other was short and had hair that stood up around his head like a flame.

     "Nappa! Prince Vegeta!" Raditz beamed. "What a pleasant surprise! As you can see, I found my brother alive and well on Earth, just as we hoped."

     "Are you sure this is Kakarot?" asked the shorter Saiyan. "He doesn't even have a tail!" he huffed, as if Raditz screwed everything up all the time and this was yet another mistake.

     "We could take him to medical for a DNA scan," suggested the tall, bald one. "That would prove it."

     "You think I wouldn't recognize my own brother by sight and scent?" Raditz asked, incredulously. "Nobody could screw up that badly."

     "Wait, you were...smelling me?" Goku said, a little unnerved.

     "Surely you've noticed that a Saiyan's sense of smell is stronger than that of the natives of the planet where you were staying?" Raditz laughed. "Once I found your ki signature, I could scent that you were definitely family. You smell a bit more like our mother than I do, though. You know, as if the fact that you look just like our father weren't proof enough.

     "But yes, Your Highness," he continued, turning now to the short Saiyan, "this man may have lost his tail, but he is definitely my brother Kakarot. I'm absolutely certain."

     "Very well." The shorter Saiyan turned to Goku. "I am Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans--or at least, those of us that are left. The man next to me is Nappa, our last remaining general, and a celebrated war veteran." At this point, Vegeta sighed. "Our first order of business is to do something about that tail of yours."

     "Uh, I kinda had it permanently removed with magic," Goku confessed sheepishly, scratching the scar on the back of his head.

     Royal face met royal palm.


End file.
